Palace urges lotto winner to share blessings with the poor

The lucky winner of the 6/55 lotto's P741-million jackpot received unsolicited advice from Malacañang: Use your money judiciously and share your blessings with the poor. In an ambush interview on Tuesday, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda urged the lone winner of the biggest lotto jackpot in the country's history to be responsible in spending the winnings. "Please use your winnings judiciously, marami po ang yumayaman na nawawala agad ang kanilang napanalunan," Lacierda said when asked for the Palace's message for the unidentified winner. (There are many whose winnings simply disappear [because of irresponsible spending].) "Magpasalamat rin ho sana siya sa Panginoong Diyos at magbigay sana sa kawang gawa rin sya maliban sa PCSO. Ito po'y grasya mula sa taas, bihira lang po ang isang taong makakamtam ng ganyan kalaking kayamanan," added the Palace spokesman. (The winner should also thank the Lord and give to charity aside from the PCSO. This is grace from above, it is very rare for someone to win that amount of money.) The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) announced Monday night that there was one bettor in the 6/55 lotto with the winning combination of 11-16-42-47-31-37. PCSO chair Margarita Juico on Tuesday said the winning bet for the 6/55 Grand Lotto was placed in Olongapo City in Zambales province in Central Luzon. The winner used the Lucky Pick method. Filipino bettors – including lawmakers and Palace officials – had bought tickets in past weeks for a shot at becoming instant megamillionaires. Lacierda himself admitted that he plays the lotto, betting a maximum of P200 if the jackpot is high but only P20 if it is relatively low. Juico said the winner should sign his or her name on the back of the ticket before going to the PCSO office at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). The winner can then bring the ticket to the treasury section of the PCSO at the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex in Pasay City, she said. If the winner is afraid of going there personally, he or she can have a lawyer with a special power of attorney represent him or her. The winner can also opt to deposit the check immediately at a Land Bank of the Philippines branch inside the PCSO, said the PCSO chairperson. – VVP, GMANews.TV